Hope somebody can give me advice. I have 3 dogs, a 7 yr old gsdxcollie bitch (spayed), a 6 yr old Lhaso Apso dog (castrated) and a nearly 5 yr old Grande Bleu de Gascogne entire dog. I have three main problems.

The Lhaso eats the gascogne's poo and the collie x sometimes eats the lhaso's or the gascogne's! They have only started doing this in the last 6 months, there have been no changes in their environment but I have been changing their food, trying to find something which keeps them in a good condition, could this be the cause of it? I clean up after the dogs as soon as I see it, but it can sometimes be too late as the dogs have free run of the garden whenever I am in the house.

My main problems lies with Dillon (the Gascogne). He has always been a handful (destructive, barking, house messing) and I kept thinking he would grow out of it as they are late maturers. I have had some complaints of neighbours regarding his barking but don't really know what i can do. He tends to be noisiest when children are playing in the adjoining gardens (they do like to wind him up though) I have tried asking the children to be calmer and not to wind him up but kids will be kids. I have tried squirting him with water (which does work to a point) and rewarding good behaviour but not sure what else to do. Any suggestions?

My final problem (and most annoying) is Dillon's house messing. He is housed in my utility room which is now fully tiled (to aid cleaning!!) with the other two dogs. He will mess (both poo and wee) overnight, during the day, whether I am in or out. This is not everyday but can happen twice a week or more. He will wee on the door to the garden (when it is open) and also on bedding and in food bowls! Yet in the morning I will let all the dogs out and he will go and do his business in the garden. As he simply got a weak bladder or is this attention seeking? Also if there is a mess I don't reprimand him or say anything, I just ignore him and let him out, if the room is clean, I praise him, is this right? He will also cock his leg in other rooms of the house (as will the Lhaso), is this them just marking their territory?

Any ideas will be gratefully received.

Debbie

I really feel for you Debbie - it must be absolutely awful having them do their business in the house. I'm afraid I really don't have any easy answers about that - I hope someone else has some ideas that can help you.

As regards the poo eating, we have had our second black Lab for five weeks now and he insists on eating our other Lab's poo - he's not all that bothered about other dogs' poo that has been left on the floor when we are out and about, that doesn't seem to be a problem, but he makes a bee line for Lawrence's.

When we took him to the vet the other week, we asked about this because we also wondered if it was because of something lacking in his diet, but the vet said no, he had had the same problem with a Labrador bitch he had had and it was simply a matter of being ready, plastic bag in hand to pick up the poo as soon as it was 'done' so to speak and of course, if you actually catch them in the act, to be firm and tell them off there and then. The vet said basically if it was a problem when we were out on a walk to keep him on the lead or just learn to live with it!

Sorry that this isn't very constructive help, but I thought it might put your mind at rest that it's not just you it's happening to and that it is relatively normal - although completely disgusting and hideous!!

Good luck and I hope lots of other people can give you good advice.

We too have had problems with the neighbours, well saying that our neighbours have got a problem. They are totally anti animals. Our pup was 7 weeks old when we first brought her home and at that age she just whimpered a bit, but soon found out what a wounderful barking noise she could make and it got louder and stronger and so did the shouts from next door and the banging on the walls. Now at 10 months old the only things that will set her off is when visitors come to the door or if she hears anyone walking down the lane that runs down the side of the house. A perfect house dog you may say, not my neighbours, they are still banging the walls and now shouting abuse aswell. Maybe they think dogs should not bark at all. Anyway we also tried the squirt of water, no good, clap hands, no good. We did try Mikki training discs which did have some effect and only cost around £7. We bought ours from www.traininglines.co.uk or it might have been .com. You could even try an aboistop collar, a few people have recomended them.

Best of luck
Kind regards

Meryl

P.S. Our pup also ate her own do dos and even sometimes the cats aswell. No major problem with that just don't like giving her kisses much.

Hi,
Have you tried telling the neighbour about how proud you are that her barking alerted you to the presence of intruders?

They might change their tune then.
:)

Hiya,

Thanks everyone for replying. I think I will try the training disks, I have heard of them before but not sure how to use them.

Dillon is good regarding intruders my direct neighbours love him, they say they don't need a dog as no one will come near the house!! He has already let me know when we have had intruders down the side of the house, he soon scares them off. It tends to be people who live a few doors down who have a problem with him.

He also barks when I am in the same room as my boyfriend, yet he is ok when it is just me or my partner on his own, could this be a bit of jealousy?

Anymore hints will be gladly received!!